LAST CHANCE: LEWIS HAMILTON FACES 2026 "MAKE OR BREAK" SEASON AT FERRARI NOW
After a podium-less 2025, Lewis Hamilton enters his "final chance" year at Ferrari. Discover the 2026 engine testing results.
After a terrible 2025, pressure's on for Lewis Hamilton and Ferrari to get results in 2026. He even hinted he should be replaced after a rough season.
That comment came after he got knocked out in Q2 at the Hungarian GP, showing how bummed out the seven-time champ was. It was a bad start at Ferrari, and it just got worse after the summer break.
Getting knocked out in Q1 and having no race pace meant Hamilton didn't get a single podium all season, a first in his career. It wasn't what he thought he was signing up for in Maranello.
He wanted a fresh start, but Hamilton's first season felt like Alain Prost getting sacked in 1991. He wasn't as public with his criticism as Prost, but Ferrari will lose patience if he doesn't deliver in 2026.
Actually, it seems like they already are. Hamilton's on his 'last chance' at Ferrari, with his contract supposedly ending in 2026, and Oliver Bearman might take his place.
So, it is a very important year for him and the team. The 2026 F1 rules are a new challenge and maybe a good thing for Hamilton after struggling during the aerodynamics era.
Lewis Hamilton should be happy because Ferrari's 2026 engine is doing 'great' in testing.
Right now, no one knows how good each team's engines will be in 2026. People think Mercedes will have the fastest, but they're trying to downplay that.
Ferrari started working on 2026 early to get a jump on development and give Hamilton and Charles Leclerc the best shot from the start.
We won't know how they perform until the car hits the track, but it sounds like things are going well in Maranello. According to Funoanalisitecnica, Ferrari's hybrid part of the engine is doing 'very well' in testing.
The MGU-K had 'great energy recovery,' hitting the 'exact levels set before it was built.' It looks like Ferrari is meeting their goals, which should be good news for Hamilton.
For sure, Ferrari can't compare itself to others yet. But with the 'very good signs' coming from the factory, Hamilton has a reason to be excited before what might be his last season in F1.
Is Ferrari starting to listen to Lewis Hamilton before 2026?
Riccardo Patrese says Hamilton needs a good car at Ferrari, or he'll struggle in 2026. The team didn't give him what he needed in 2025, even though he asked for changes.
The Brit tried to get Ferrari to change how they do things behind the scenes with documents. But they didn't listen, and he struggled all year.
But things might change, since Ferrari grabbed two people from Mercedes for their 2026 project. It looks like they're finally listening to Hamilton and making the changes he wanted.
Of course, Hamilton has to do his part, too. He's been with Ferrari for a year now—he can't get left behind.
SERGIO PEREZ BREAKS SILENCE ON CADILLAC’S FIRST FOUR RACES OF 2026 F1 SEASON
Discover why Sergio Perez is confident in Cadillac’s 2026 path despite urgent needs for better pace and reliability fixes.
Sergio Perez didn’t waste time sharing his thoughts on Cadillac after the first four races of the 2026 Formula 1 season.
Cadillac shows up in 2026 as F1’s newest team, but honestly, not a lot of people expected fireworks right away. With veterans like Valtteri Bottas and Perez behind the wheel, the team’s start has been a mix, some moments full of promise, others derailed by reliability issues.
Still, Cadillac isn’t just stuck at the back. Lately, they’ve been right there fighting with Aston Martin and even managed to split them in Miami, which turned a few heads.
Perez knows the team is at risk of falling behind in this crazy-fast development race, though. “We still have work to do, but I’m confident we’re on the right path,” he told reporters, including Motorsport Week.
He added, “Sometimes, once tyre degradation sets in, we can hang with the midfield, but they always seem to find another gear. There’s a long way to go this season, but we’re in a rush to find more pace. We know Aston will get stronger, and we don’t want to be left behind.”
Racing Aston Martin has actually brought Perez some enjoyment. He especially likes battling Fernando Alonso, calling those fights fair and satisfying. Still, he pointed out a weak spot: “We’re having fun with them. Racing Fernando is always great because he’s so fair. But we struggled with tyre degradation; we burnt through them too quickly. We picked the hard compound, but honestly, looking back, I should’ve gone with the soft.”
He said there’s plenty to analyse, and really, the key is getting a better grip on their car as they look ahead to Canada. “We don’t have much time, but in the short term, we need to fix the degradation. We have some ideas, but putting them together is our biggest challenge in the next few weeks.”
Cadillac may be the new kid on the block and still finding its feet, but it’s already starting to make an impact. The road out of the lower ranks won’t be easy, but they’re moving in the right direction.
HOW KIMI ANTONELLI’S THREE-RACE WIN STREAK IS REDEFINING THE MERCEDES TEAM HIERARCHY
With a 43-second gap in Miami, Antonelli proves he’s ready to lead the World Championship. Can Russell bounce back in Canada?
David Coulthard, the former Formula 1 driver, recently pointed out that Kimi Antonelli might be on track to overtake George Russell as Mercedes’ team leader.
Antonelli has been on an impressive run, clinching victories in the last three races and pulling ahead by 20 points over his main competitor and teammate, Russell.
At the Miami race, the young Italian once again outperformed his more seasoned teammate, with Russell managing only fourth place, trailing by 43 seconds.
Coulthard acknowledged Antonelli’s rapid rise in 2026, which is just his second season in F1. He highlighted Antonelli’s strengths and suggested that the Italian is, in many ways, now leading the Mercedes team.
“He’s come of age,” Coulthard said during the Up To Speed podcast.
Despite being relatively new, Antonelli has shown resilience, dealing not only with the pressure from a driver like Lando ready to strike but also with technical glitches like inconsistent paddle shifts. Coulthard mentioned how Antonelli kept his cool even when his engineer, Bono, was trying to help troubleshoot the issue in a tense moment.
“I think he’s earned the right to lead the World Championship,” Coulthard added, noting that this situation probably feels uncomfortable for George. Still, the expectations now lean heavily toward Antonelli leading the team, especially based on recent results.
Coulthard also pointed out that Russell has the experience and skill to reclaim his position as the team’s lead driver, but emphasised that only one can come out on top; someone must finish first and the other second.
The rivalry between them might start opening doors for other teams. Coulthard noted that improvements from McLaren, Ferrari, and Red Bull were already noticeable, especially in Miami.
“Winning in the best car isn’t always straightforward. Many have tried and struggled,” he said.
For Russell, who is feeling the weight of this momentum shift, the upcoming race in Canada will be crucial if he wants to close the gap and halt Antonelli’s winning streak.
